In a previous blog I commented on the scripture in Judges 5:3 where a people were cursed for not helping God– Curse Meroz, says the angel of the Lord, curse its inhabitants thoroughly, because they did not come to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty. My point was (and is) that there is a time a place for us to partnership with God in battle and victory.

A friend of mine graciously reminded me of another story found in 2 Samuel 6, telling of David leading a procession of chosen men and merry-makers carrying the ark back to its rightful home in Jerusalem. The ark was placed in a cart, the oxen pulling the cart stumbled, and a man named Uzzah reached out to steady the physical representation of God’s presence, the ark–and God struck him so that he died right there.

The overwhelming message that comes to me from that story is that God does not need our help! A less obvious message can be found in the fact that they were doing it all wrong! –the ark wasn’t supposed to be on a cart, it was meant to be carried by the Levites (Deut. 10:8).

One thing that absolutely jumps out at me in this story is that God is not to be “managed” on our terms and according to our convenience. I’m reminded of the verse in John 3:8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. We do not manage the Spirit; however, we manage our responses to the Holy Spirit, often according to our faith–or lack of it.

Something else that may not be quite so obvious is that if we get things right in the first place, we’ll save ourselves some grief down the line. It the poles were in the ark, if the priests were carrying the ark, there wouldn’t need to be a cart or oxen–and Uzzah wouldn’t feel the need to restore equilibrium and protect the presence of God!

So how is it that in one scripture, God seems to need our help and in another he does not? In the story of Uzzah, I see that there was a job for everyone to do–priests to carry the ark, chosen men for protection and all of the house of Israel sang praises! Everyone has a destiny; everyone has a unique purpose–and every person is involved in worship. Uzzah had a purpose; however, it wasn’t to steady the ark.

I think one of the easiest ways for me (and possibly others) to “steady the ark” is to help steady the presence of God in the lives of others–I can see things that I think need to be changed or attitudes and beliefs that need to be changed, and I want to give God a helping hand in getting the problems fixed. I can go on my experience here to say that God is faithful to make all of the changes needed in people–He is big, He knows His job, and being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

I know that there are other ways that I am not trusting God (because that is what it boils down to); I also know that God has saved me and called me to a holy calling, not because of my works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began (2 Timothy 1:9). …and there is no condemnation for me because I am in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1). I can also say with confidence that I am growing in grace, and faith, and the knowledge of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.